Interactivity As Brand Experience

As we start sliding into a global economic slowdown I’ve begun to wonder how all this recession talk will impact the world of digital interactive marketing. Apparently clients have begun to re-evaluate spending and where best to maximize their advertising dollars. Naturally I will say digital is a solid bet, however others may not share this sentiment. In fact clients may actually shy away from digital campaigns only to fall back on more traditional forms of advertising as the ‘let’s play it safe’ strategy prevails. I hope not, because the interactive medium creates amazing new opportunities for our clients and their brands.

Gradually the Web has transformed into a dynamic platform of motion, sight and sound; immersive experiences driven by technologies constantly evolving to meet the changing demands of a hyper-connected media landscape. Popular Web development frameworks such as AJAX, jQuery, Flash/Flex, and Silverlight have made possible a new genre of branded experiences where the user is actively engaged and the center of attention. The static Web of the past is now being replaced by a more social-centric environment where people increasingly expect highly personalized experiences as opposed to the old one-size-fits-all approach.
This is where interactive applications come in, bridging the gap between the old interruption model of advertising (e.g. the classic 30 second spot) and more immersive engagements. But who’s capitalizing on this trend? Nike? Coca-Cola? IBM?

I'm a freelance UX Designer / Art Director based in Toronto Canada.Me in 140-characters: Inquisitive, fearlessly optimistic; design minded; interested in digital culture, human innovation, and strategic communications. I love the simple things in life and a good German Hefeweizen.